{{Short description|Music venue in Santa Barbara, California, USA}} {{more citations needed|date=September 2018}} {{Use American English|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox venue | name = Santa Barbara Bowl | image = Santa Barbara Bowl Depeche Mode (2013).jpg | image_caption = The venue before a concert in 2013. | image_size = 250px | nickname = The Bowl | location = Santa Barbara, California | coordinates = | type = Outdoor amphitheater | event = | built = 1936 | opened = | renovated = 1994–2012 | expanded = | closed = | demolished = | owner = Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation | construction_cost= | former_names = | seating_type = Seats | seating_capacity = 4,562 | website = [http://www.sbbowl.com Santa Barbara Bowl] }} The '''Santa Barbara Bowl''' is a 4,562-seat amphitheater, located in Santa Barbara, California. The amphitheater is open for concerts from approximately April through approximately October with an average of about 27 concerts per season. Booked exclusively by Goldenvoice in Los Angeles, the Bowl hosts primarily popular music concerts. Since 1991, the Santa Barbara Bowl has been managed by the not-for-profit '''Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation'''.
== History == In the 1920s, La Primavera pageant used the location of what is now Peabody Stadium. <ref> {{cite web |title=History of La Primavera - Old Spanish Days |url=https://www.sbfiesta.org/history-of-la-primavera-santa-barbara |website=Fiesta Santa Barbara |date=29 October 2019 |access-date=23 November 2021 |quote=When Samuel Hume came from the Greek Theatre in Berkeley to direct the pageant, he told Santa Barbarans that nature had given them a perfect setting for the performance (near Canon Perdido Street and east of the former Presidio). This location is now the Peabody Stadium of Santa Barbara High School. Then it was a creek bed.}}</ref>
In 1924, fiesta week, 'Old Spanish Days,' began.<ref>{{cite web |title=History of Fiesta - Old Spanish Days |url=https://www.sbfiesta.org/history-santa-barbara-fiesta |website=Fiesta Santa Barbara |date=29 October 2019 |access-date=23 November 2021}}</ref>
In 1935,<ref>{{cite web |last1=McHugh |first1=Julia |title=The birth of the Santa Barbara Bowl |url=https://lompocrecord.com/opinion/columnists/julia-mchugh/julia-mchugh-the-birth-of-the-santa-barbara-bowl/article_e50fcb33-69d6-5c71-9121-7c9b35eee76d.html |website=Lompoc Record |date=21 November 2020 |access-date=23 November 2021 |language=en |quote=Construction of the Santa Barbara County Bowl began in December 1935, thanks to $77,000 in Depression-era WPA funding. Sixty workers toiled in three shifts to ready it for a grand pageant celebrating Old Spanish Days in August 1936.}}</ref> Santa Barbara Bowl was carved into the hillside, a dry creek bed, as a WPA project.<ref>{{Cite web| title=Financial Highlights - County of Santa Barbara, Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2007 | url=https://countyofsb.org/uploadedFiles/auditor/Documents/2007FinancialHighlight.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171208043327/http://countyofsb.org/uploadedFiles/auditor/Documents/2007FinancialHighlight.pdf | archive-date=2017-12-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Santa Barbara Bowl Master Plan |url=https://handelarchitects.com/project/santa-barbara-bowl-master-plan |website=Handel Architects |access-date=23 November 2021 |language=en |date=22 November 2021 |quote=...Santa Barbara Bowl was constructed in 1936 in the classic American Craftsman style using Works Progress Administration funds. Originally built to serve as the annual performance venue for Santa Barbara’s Old Spanish Days’ Fiesta...}}</ref> It was originally built to serve as a venue for the annual pageant of Old Spanish Days — Fiesta.<ref>{{cite web |title=Old Spanish Days -- Fiesta Week in Santa Barbara - Old Spanish Days |url=https://www.sbfiesta.org/ |website=Fiesta Santa Barbara |access-date=23 November 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Santa Barbara Bowl - Santa Barbara CA |url=https://livingnewdeal.org/projects/santa-barbara-bowl-santa-barbara-ca/ |website=Living New Deal |access-date=23 November 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Santa Barbara Bowl Wins 2016 Sunset Travel Award |url=https://santabarbaraca.com/press_releases/santa-barbara-bowl-wins-2016-sunset-travel-award/ |website=Visit Santa Barbara}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Sundby |first1=Alex |title=Marking New Deal's legacy |url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/business/20080525_Marking_New_Deal_s_legacy.html |access-date=23 November 2021 |work=inquirer.com |agency=Columbia News Service |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Hoffman |first1=Lyz |title=County Archiving Handwritten History of Santa Barbara's Early Days |url=https://www.independent.com/2015/06/13/county-archiving-handwritten-history-santa-barbaras-early-days/ |website=The Santa Barbara Independent |access-date=23 November 2021 |date=13 June 2015}}</ref>
The amphitheater's original stage was a revolving wooden stage, but this was washed out during El Niño rains in 1939. The stage was replaced with a concrete slab that remained in place until renovation work in 2001.
In the 1970s, Sepp Donahower, of Pinnacle Dance Concerts promoted pop music concerts, (Little Feat, Loggins & Messina, Average White Band, Beach Boys, and others).<ref>{{cite web |author1=dennisd |title=Santa Barbara County Bowl |url=https://earlwarrenshowgroundsetal.blogspot.com/2011/06/santa-barbara-county-bowl_156.html |website=Ventura and Santa Barbara Psychedelic Music Scene 1960-1975 |access-date=23 November 2021 |date=17 June 2011}}</ref>
==Prominent concerts== Joni Mitchell's 1980 double live album and concert film, ''Shadows and Light'', was recorded at the venue in September 1979 on her tour in-support of the ''Mingus'' album. Her all-star backing band was made up of prominent jazz fusion musicians Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Jaco Pastorius, Don Alias, and Michael Brecker.
On November 25, 1979, during his ''Survival'' tour, Bob Marley and The Wailers performed at the Bowl.
British-American band The Pretenders performed a concert at the Santa Barbara Bowl on August 30, 1981. Film of both the rehearsal at the venue of their song Day After Day and it's subsequent performance are featured in the video for the song.
British band Tears For Fears performed at the amphitheatre in May 1990, which was filmed for their ''Going To California'' concert video.
During Pearl Jam's benefit for the Louis Warschaw Prostate Cancer Center on October 28, 2003, Chris Cornell joined the band on-stage, effectively reuniting Temple of the Dog for the first time since 1992.<ref>{{Cite magazine |author=Billboard Staff |date=2003-10-16 |title=Pearl Jam To Rock California Cancer Benefit |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/pearl-jam-to-rock-california-cancer-benefit-68627/ |access-date=2024-05-30 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pearl Jam Setlist at Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara |url=https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/pearl-jam/2003/santa-barbara-bowl-santa-barbara-ca-23d680f3.html |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=setlist.fm |language=en}}</ref> Their performance of "Reach Down" as well as their cover of “I Believe in Miracles” by the Ramones from that night later appeared on Pearl Jam's 2003 Ten Club Christmas single.<ref>{{Citation |title=Pearl Jam - 2003 Annual Vinyl Single |url=https://pearljam.com/music/album/2003-annual-vinyl-single |access-date=2024-05-30}}</ref>
Maroon 5’s performance, on May 13th 2005, was recorded for their Live - Friday the 13th live album and DVD.
On Wednesday, October 20, 2010, Colombian musician Shakira performed a show at the Bowl during her ''Sun Comes Out World Tour''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=An Evening With Shakira: Concerts |url=https://sbbowl.com/concerts/pastdetail/an_evening_with_shakira |access-date=2 March 2024 |website=Santa Barbara Bowl}}</ref>
On Saturday, May 19, 2018, pop star and Santa Barbara native Katy Perry performed a benefit concert at the Bowl as a part of ''WITNESS: The Tour'', calling the show ''WITNESS'': ''Coming Home''. The concert was organized after the local Montecito fire evacuations and mudslide disasters.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Donelan |first=Charles |date=17 May 2018 |title=Katy Perry 'Witness: Coming Home' Benefit; An Interview with Katy Perry Before Her Concert at the Santa Barbara Bowl |url=https://www.independent.com/2018/05/17/katy-perry-witness-coming-home-benefit/?amp=1 |website=Santa Barbara Independent}}</ref>
Olivia Rodrigo performed a sold-out show at the amphitheater on May 21, 2022 as part of her ''Sour Tour''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://sbbowl.com/concerts/pastdetail/2022_05_21_olivia_rodrigo | title=Olivia Rodrigo }}</ref>
== Renovations == The Santa Barbara Bowl has undergone over $42 million in renovations since the establishment of the Foundation in 1991.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.com/2011/07/28/fixing-bowl/|title=Fixing the Bowl|last=Lassen|first=Erik|date=2011-07-28|website=The Santa Barbara Independent|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-25}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Renovation Project |- |1991 |Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors regained control of the Bowl from Old Spanish Days |- |1992 |Renovation and Restoration Master Plan developed by the Foundation |- |1994 | * Foundation granted responsibility for the Bowl * Infrastructure Renovations – Power, water and sewer upgraded |- |1995 | * Temporary production roof |- |2000 | *New storm drain and more efficient drainage systems * Bus Electrical Project * Marquee |- |2002 |The stage and backstage facilities reconstructed increasing the overall usable square footage by +300% (3,000 sq. ft. to 10,000 sq. ft.) (Master Plan Phase 1A) * Upgraded dressing rooms * Enlarged and improved restroom facilities * Food concessions (under the Stage) |- |2003 |Seating Upgrades * Permanent, disabled seating platform (Master Plan Phase 1C) * Floor Section (Master Plan Phase 1C) * Grand Staircase (Master Plan Phase 1C) |- |2004 | * The Wendy McCaw Terrace for donor and cultivation receptions (Master Plan Phase 1C) * Beverage Concessions (under the Wendy McCaw Terrace) (Master Plan Phase 1C) |- |2005 | * The Canteen – Food service upgrade and Food Carts (Master Plan Phase 1D) * Hand-rail Project |- |2006 | * Backstage Retaining Wall |}
==See also== *List of contemporary amphitheatres
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.sbbowl.com Santa Barbara Bowl Official Website]
{{Music venues of California}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Buildings and structures in Santa Barbara, California Category:Amphitheaters in California Category:Music venues in California Category:Outdoor theatres Category:Works Progress Administration in California Category:Tourist attractions in Santa Barbara, California Category:Music venues completed in 1936 Category:1936 establishments in California